Tobacco supplying means for cigarette machines



1943- c. F. RANDOLPH 2, 60

TOBACCO SUPPLYING MEANS FOR CIGARETTE MACH INES Filed Sept. 22,1958 5 Sheets Sheet 1v INVENTOR CLIFFORD F. RANDOLPH BY I i I. 4/ I ATTORNEY Feb. 9, 1943.' c. F. RANDOLPH TOBACCO SUPPLYING MEANS FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES Filed Sept. 22, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2 A? FIG. 3

, INVENTOR ICLIFFORD F, RANDOLPH Y. E N R m v Feb. 9, 1943 c. F. RANDOLPH 2,310,460

TOBACCO SUPPLYI-NG MEANS FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES FilecfSept. 22, 1958 -5 Sheets-Sheet 3 9,, 1943- c. F. RANDOLPH TOBACCO SUPPLYING MEANS FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES Filed Sept. 22, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 7M'

23 BCYLIFFORD F. RANDOLPH ATTORNEY F 1943;v c. F. RANDOLPH 2,310,460

TOBACCO SUPPLYING MEANS FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES Filed s t; 22, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet s Snnentot CL'IF'FORDI F. RANDOLPH (Ittqmeg Patented Feb. 9, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOBACCO SUPPLYING MEANS FOR CIGARETTE lVIACHlNES Application September 22, 1938, Serial No. 231,149

Claims.

This invention relates to a tobacco feed of the type comprising a primary hopper provided with a feed roll and adapted to contain a mass of cigarette filler supply tobacco in working contact with said feed roll at a desired level, and an object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary hopper supported above said primary hopper and adapted to contain a supply of loose filler tobacco so disposed as to descend by gravity against the underlying mass in said primary hopper as tobacco from said working mass is fed by said feedroll, whereby the desired level of said Working mass is maintained.

A cognate object of the invention is to provide a cigarette feed comprising a primary hopper adapted to confine a workable mass of loose filler tobacco exposed through an upper opening of said container, an auxiliary hopper adapted to contain a supply mass of loose filler tobacco, and having a throat or delivery opening suitable for discharging said filler supply by gravity into said upper opening of the primary hopper, and means to support said auxiliary hopper in position to discharge said supply mass at a rate designed to maintain said working mass at a desired level.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pneumatic tobacco conveyor for a system comprising a group of cigarette machines, in which the tobacco supply used during operation is fed from a storage chamber, and in pursuance of this feature of the invention an auxiliary hopper is provided for each individual machine, of such system, and further provision is made of valve devices and of signal devices connected individually with the respective hoppers and operated by improved means for automatically selecting the individual machine to'which a charge is to be fed when and as required.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain combinations and constructions which will be hereinafter fully described, and then specifically set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation, partly in section, of an auxiliary hopper in the construction of which the present invention has been embodied, and illustrating its connection with a discharge hopper, as well as with the tobacco feed chamber of a cigarette machine;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the auxiliary hopper and its associated elements, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; a

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the discharge hopper and its automatically operated discharge valve mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the same, taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional side elevation of the discharge valve of Fig. 5, shown in connection with the feed tube and the discharge hopper;

Fig. 7 is a front sectional elevation of the discharge valve taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the discharge valve;

Fig. 9 is a schematic view in side elevation of the pneumatic conveyor system;

Fig. 10 is a sectional side elevation of the auxiliary hopper illustrating its position when ready to receive a tobacco charge from'thedischarge hopper; and I r Fig. 11 is also a sectional side elevation of the auxiliary hopper illustrating the same after re-' receiving a tobacco charge from the discharge hopper. p r

In carrying the invention into effect, the pneumatic conveyor system, such as illustrated in Fig. 9, comprises a feed table l5, from which the measured tobacco charges are fed by an operator into an intake valve l6 and each of said tobacco charges is then conveyed by means of suction through the main feed pipe I! to the tobacco feed A of a cigarette machine M which has sent in a signal for loading, by a device to be hereinafter described. Thetobacco charge is guided from the main feed pipe I! through the appropriate discharge valve V intofa discharge hopper iii of the calling machine and is then dumped.

into an auxiliary hopper]! below, through which said tobacco passes to reach thechamber C of the tobacco feed A of that cigarette machine which it overlies.

The discharge valve V (Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, '7, 8 and 9) is mountedover the discharge hopper l8 and serves for the, purpose of guiding a tobacco charge from the feed line ll into the discharge hopper I8. As each tobacco feed of each cigarette machine has its own auxiliary and discharge hopper, and each discharge hopper has its own discharge valve, it is possible to guide a tobacco charge to any machine which sends in a call for loading.

The discharge valve V comprises preferably a housing20 which is provided with an opening 21 at the front end, and two openings 22 and 23 at the rear end of the same. Said housing furthermore has an opening 24 at the bottom which matches with an opening 25 in the top plate of the discharge hopper l8. At the front end, the housing 29 forms a bearing 26 supporting an oscillating cylinder 2'! (Fig. 6) on one end of which is mounted a swingable valve tube 23. The other end of said cylinder faces the open end of a section of the main feed pipe H which, at this particular end, is held by a flange 29 secured to the front end of housing 29. The free end of valve tube 28 is provided with a lug 39 (Figs. 6 and 7) which is pivoted to a stud 3| held by the rear end of valve housing 29. Valve cylinder 21 is provided with a sector-gear 32 which meshes with a gear rack 33 on a horizontal shaft 34 supported by suitable bearings of the lower front end portion of housing 20. Said shaft 34, by means of a flexible coupling 35 is connected with a piston of standard construction, not shown, reciprocating in a horizontal cylinder or air chamber 39. Said piston is actuated by means of compressed air which is alternately fed to one and the other end of said cylinder by means of pipes 31 and 33 connected to a solenoid-operated and controlled air valve 39 (Figure 4) in a part of the housing 40 secured to the top plate of discharge hopper l8. Said solenoid-controlledair valve is of similar construction to that disclosed in Patent No. 2,140,128, issued to R. V. Craggs, December 13, 1938. Air valve 39 is provided with an air outlet pipe M and is connected to a compressed air line 42 (Fig. 9) by means of a pipe 43, said air line 42 being connected with a suitable air compressor or tank 44 as indicated in Fig. 9. The

horizontal cylinder 36 is mounted on a bracket 45 secured to housing 29.

The reciprocating shaft 34, through gear rack 33 and sector-gear 32, causes valve tube 28 to swing in such a manner that its open end matches with opening 23 when in feeding position, while in "by-pass position said open end will match with opening 22. The latter, as mentioned hereinbefore, is connected with the main feed pipe H, while opening 23 is connected with an elbow pipe 46 leading to an opening 41 in the top plate of the discharge hopper [8, into which the tobacco charges are deposited. In order to assure a perfect registration of the open end of valve tube 28 with opening 22 and with opening 23, when in by-pass or in feeding position respectively, said one of valve tube 28 is provided with a pair of stop lugs 48 each of which contacts an adjustable stop stud 49 upon reaching the feeding position or by-pass position. This oscillating type of valve has decided advantages over the sliding type used heretofore, as it will prevent any tobacco from entering its bearings, and any tobacco which might remain in the valve or tubes at their joint will be out off by the shearing action of the valve tube 28 when disengaging from opening 22 or 23.

The bottom of the discharge hopper I8 is provided with a pair of swingable trap doors 59 (Figs. 4 and each of which is hinged to a shaft 5| held by suitable bearing lugs on a frame 52 rigidly attached to the bottom portion of said discharge hopper. To one end of each shaft 5| is fastened an operating arm 53, each of which, through a rod 54, is connected to a cross bar 55 adjustably mounted on a vertical operating .rod 56. The lower end of the latter is guided by means of a bracket 51 fastened to the outer wall of the discharge hopper IS. The upper end of said rod 56 is connected to the piston (not shown) of a vertically mountedair cylinder 58 attached to the top plate of the discharge hopper. The top flange of said cylinder 58 by means of pipe 59 is connected to the solenoid-operated air valve 39 which operates and controls the piston movement in said cylinder. Said piston is actuated in the same manner as disclosed in Patent No. 2,140,128 and works in synchronism with the double acting piston in the horizontal cylinder 36. To the bottom portion of the front end of valve housing 20 is also attached a, limit switch 69 equipped with a pair of push buttons BI and 62 (Fig. '7). Said limit switch 69 is of the same type, and used for the same purpose, as that disclosed in the before mentioned Patent No. 2,140,128. Button BI is actuated by the piston rod 34 through an adjustable screw 63 held by a, lug 64 and button 62 is actuated by an adjustable screw 65 held by lug 66, said lugs being clamped to the horizontal shaft 34. The limit switch 69 in connection with suitable time relays (not shown) assures that valve 28 remains in its feeding position until the entire tobacco charge fed through the main line I! and valve V, is deposited into discharge hopper I8. The inner upper portion of the latter is furthermore equipped with a screen 61 (Figs. 4 and 6), provided for the purpose of allowing the suction in pipe I! to return via the opening 25 in the top plate of the hopper and the inner chamber of housing 20 during the period the tobacco is arrested and deposited in one of the hoppers l8.

Inasmuch as the conveying means for the tobacco charges extends to the various cigarette machines connected with the system, the suction in the main feed line ll must be on at all times, and care is taken not to interrupt the suction during any part of the operation. The suction is created by means of a suction fan F attached to the end of the pipe line H. A suitable dust collector D of standard construction, also connected to the end portion of said line, prevents any tobacco dust from lingering or piling up in the pipe line.

To frame 52 on hopper 18 are fastened brackets 68 of a pair, the lower projecting end of these brackets carrying a shaft 69. To the latter, by means of bearing lugs I0, is pivoted an auxiliary hopper 1| which is balanced in a scale-like fashion by means of a pair of springs 12. One end of each of said springs is anchored to said auxiliary hopper, while the other ends are adjustably secured to the corresponding brackets 63. Each of the two side plates of the auxiliary hopper is provided with a stop lug 13 (Fig. 1), coacting with a pair of adjustable stop screws 14 held by means of lugs 15 on the outer side of each bracket 68, thus limiting the movement or change of position of said auxiliary hopper when the shifting weight of the tobacco causes the latter to move. To one of the brackets 68 is pivoted a lever 16 to which is attached a mercury signal switch 11, which is tripped or operated by means of a control bar 18 fastened to hopper H. Said bar 18 projects through an opening 19 in bracket 68 and contacts an adjustably mounted stud 89 held by lever 16. An eccentrically mounted stud 8| prevents lever I6 from tilting too far downward when hopper H is filled with tobacco and bar 18 loses its contact with operating stud due to the low position of the filled hopper (Fig. 11 illustrates the position of the hopper when full and Fig. 10 shows the position of said hopper when almost empty and ready to receive a new charge from the discharge hopper l8).

As the tobacco is used up by the tobacco feed of the cigarette machine, the hopper H, due to the action of balance spring l2, gradually rises again and bar 78 contacts the operating stud 80, and upon further rising, lifts the lever 16, tripping and thereby operating the mercury switch ll, which sends a signal through conductors l9 to a flash bulb 82 mounted on feed table I 5. The feeding operator then presses a button 83, also conveniently located at said feed table, and feeds a measured quantity of tobacco into intake valve i6. Besides actuating aid intake valve, the re sing of button 83 also causes the operation of discharge valve V, and the shifting of the valve tube 28 of the calling machine from the by-pass to the feeding position, and the tobacco charge is guided and deposited into the discharge hopper I8 of the calling machine. Care is taken, of course, that only one machine can be supplied at a time, and the previously operated discharge valve V has to be in the by-pass or normal position before a new charge can be fed to another machine. As the tobacco charge is deposited into the discharge hopper l8, the trap doors 59 are closed and will remain closed until valve tube 28, from its feeding position, has returned to its by-pass or normal position, thus preventing any possible break of the suction in the main feed line l1. After valve tube 28 has resumed its by-pass or normal position, trap doors 50 swing open in the direction indicated by the arrows and the tobacco charge is dumped into the auxiliary hopper 1 I, after which said trap doors close again. The proper timing of the operation in this feeding process is achieved and controlled by the limit switch 60 and the therewith connected time relay and solenoid mentioned hereinbefore as well as in Patent No. 2,140,128. A manual switch 84 connected with the current of the mercury signal switch 11 and attached to one of the brackets 68 is provided for the purpose of cutting out the automatic tobacco feed of all the machines, or any particular machine, if desired.

The bottom of the auxiliary hopper 'H is open and permits the tobacco to flow into the feed chamber C of the tobacco feed A as it is consumed.

In order to prevent any tobacco from spilling, the bottom of said auxiliary hopper is also equipped with an adjustable guide plate 85 hinged to lower portion of 1 l. Each one of the two brackets 68 is furthermore secured by a bar 86 fastened to the outer walls of the tobacco feed A of the cigarette machine.

To shaft 69 are pivoted a number of fingers 81, spaced apart somewhat and separately yieldable around the axis of shaft 69. This row of floating fingers is employed for the purpose of controlling the amount of tobacco sliding from the auxiliary hopper H into the feed chamber C and they act as achoke, depending on the mass or amount of tobacco piled up behind said fingers by the action of the upper or refuser drum 88 and the lower or feed drum 89 in the tobacco feed A of the cigarette machine.

In order to maintain a desirably and nearly constant level of tobacco in the feed chamber C, the control and signal devices are so arranged and set that there is still an ample supply of tobacco in the auxiliary hopper when the latter sends a signal for a new charge, thus giving the operator sufficient time for feeding without danger of lowering the level in feed chamber C to an undesirable extent.

The invention above described may be varied in construction within the scope of the claims for the particular physical embodiment selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible concrete embodiments of the same. The invention is not, therefore, to be restricted to the precise details of the structure shown and described.

What is claimed is:

l. A tobacco feed for a cigarette machine of the type comprising a primary tobacco hopper having means including a feed roll for feeding tobacco from said hopper to said cigarette machine, an auxiliary hopper mounted above said first-named hopper and adapted to hold a supply of said tobacco and to direct said tobacco into said firstnamed hopper, the delivery portion of said auxiliary hopper providing a. throat so disposed adjacent to the tobacco supply in said primary hopper that when the level of the tobacco in the primary hopper is at the desired working level, the tobacco at said level obstructs the passage of tobacco from said auxiliary hopper, while permitting an increased flow of tobacco through said throat when said level in the primary hopper goes below the said working level, said tobacco feed being characterized by the provision of a depending barrier mounted swingingly in the path feeding between said throat and said feed roll, and said swinging barrier being constructed and arranged to regulate automatically the rate of said feed according to the demand exerted by said feed roll.

2. A tobacco feed having the'features claimed in claim 1, in which means are provided to replenish the supply of tobacco in said auxiliary hopper from time to time by increments regulated automatically to maintain said flow of tobacco in substantial conformity with the demand therefor in said primary hopper.

3. A tobacco feed comprising a primary hopper, an auxiliary hopper associated with said primary hopper for delivering tobacco into said primary hopper, and a gate mounted swingingly at the portion where tobacco is delivered into the primary hopper by the auxiliary hopper, said gate being constructed and arranged to be directly operated by the tobacco accumulated in the primary hopper to maintain a substantially constant volume of tobacco in said primary hopper.

4. A tobacco feed comprising a tobacco hopper constituting a fixed part of a cigarette machine, means, including a feed roll, for feeding tobacco from said hopper to said cigarette machine, a tobacco supply means including a source of tobacco, an auxiliary hopper mounted above said first-named hopper and adapted to direct said tobacco thereinto, and a baffle device intermediate said hoppers adapted to be affected constantly by the variations in mass of the tobacco in the first-named hopper, and interposing a yielding resistance to the increase of said mass by gravity-biased increments of tobacco from the auxiliary hopper.

5. A tobacco feed comprising a primary tobacco hopper constituting a fixed part of a cigarette machine, means, including a feed roll, for feeding tobacco from said primary hopper to said cigarette machine, an auxiliary hopper mounted above said primary hopper, and adapted to hold a supply of said tobacco and to direct said tobacco into said primary hopper, and an obstructive device intermediate said hoppers, comprising a depending comb-like swinging barrier so disposed adjacent to the tobacco supply in said primary hopper that when the level of tobacco in the ward to obstruct the passage of tobacco from said auxiliary hopper, and will swing automatically forward toward said feed roll to permit an increased flow of tobacco therefrom when said level in the primary hopper goes below said working level, to thereby maintain a substantially constant supply of tobacco adjacent to said feed roll.

6. A tobacco feed comprising a primary hopper, an auxiliary hopper associated with said primary hopper for delivering tobacco into said primary hopper, and an obstructive device mounted between said hoppers for maintaining a substantially constant volume of tobacco in said primary hopper, said obstructive device consisting of a plurality of individually swingable members adapted to be engaged by said tobacco and to be actuated thereby to control the delivery of tobacco from said auxiliary hopper to said primary hopper.

7. A tobacco feed having the features claimed in claim 5, wherein the obstructive device is constructed and arranged to divert and hold back from said roll any surplus of tobacco over that needed to maintain said level.

8. A tobacco feed having the features claimed in claim 5, wherein the obstructive device comprises a series of separately yieldable elements arranged across the primary hopper.

9. A tobacco feed comprising a primary tobacco hopper constituting a fixed part of a cigarette machine, means, including a'feed roll, for feeding tobacco from said primary hopper to said cigarette machine, an auxiliary hopper mounted above said primary hopper, and adapted to hold a supply of said tobacco and to direct said tobacco into:said primary hopper, said auxiliary hopper having a discharge opening above the open top of said primary hopper, and an obstructive device intermediate said hoppers, so disposed adjacent to the tobacco supply in said primary hopper that when the level of tobacco in the primary hopper is at the desired working level, said device obstructs the passage of tobacco from said auxiliary hopper, while permitting an increased flow of tobacco therefrom when said level in the primary hopper goes-below said working level, to thereby maintain a substantially constant supply of tobacco adjacent to said feed roll, said obstructive device being positioned in suitably spaced relation above said feed roll to cause tobacco received from said auxiliary hopper to pass under said obstructive device and over said feed roll when fed thereby.

10. A tobacco 'feed having the features claimed in claim 5, in which a refuser element is mounted in said primary hopper to cooperate with said feed roll, and in which said obstructive device is mounted to swing between an opening from said auxiliary hopper to said primary hopper, and the bight between the feed roller and refuser element, whereby whenever an excess of refused tobacco accumulates in said bight said excess of tobacco tends to swing said obstructive device away from said bight to exclude the passage of further increments of tobacco from the auxiliary hopper to the primary hopper.

CLIFFORD F. RANDOLPH. 

